The American Victims of British Friendly Fire in World War

In the World War, the British killed hundreds of Americans with friendly fire.

During the World War, a tragic incident occurred during the training exercises for the Normandy landings. In April 1944, as part of the preparations, the British evacuated several towns in southern Devon to create a suitable training ground for their American allies. This area was chosen due to its similarity to the terrain of the actual landing beaches in Normandy.

The training, known as Exercise Tiger, commenced on April 22, 1944, just two weeks before the planned Normandy invasion. It involved the use of landing vehicles filled with soldiers and tanks, as well as live ammunition. Warships were also involved, using their cannons to simulate the bombing of the beaches.

Hundreds killed by friendly fire

However, tragedy struck on April 28, 1944. Under the cover of darkness, nine German submarines approached Lyme Bay in the English Channel, targeting eight American landing craft in the area with torpedoes. The result was devastating, with approximately a thousand American soldiers losing their lives in what is now known as the Exercise Tiger disaster.

This unfortunate incident serves as a reminder of the risks and sacrifices made during wartime training and operations. Despite the loss of life, the Allies continued their preparations and ultimately achieved success in the Normandy landings, leading to the liberation of France and the eventual defeat of the German armies.

The German assault subsequently led to the sinking of two landing crafts and the loss of approximately 700 American soldiers. These soldiers tragically perished either by drowning or succumbing to the frigid waters, which caused a significant drop in their body temperatures. Compounding the tragedy was the delay in the arrival of rescue teams.

Despite this devastating naval incident, the training operation, which had been disrupted by the German attack, persisted with the surviving soldiers being mistakenly transported to Slapton Beach during their evacuation. It was during these maneuvers that British battleships unexpectedly bombarded the beach with live ammunition, catching the surviving American soldiers off guard as shells mercilessly descended upon them.

In addition to the 700 soldiers who lost their lives in the German attack, the British bombing of Slapton Beach resulted in the deaths of over 300 Americans due to friendly fire.

Throughout the remainder of World War II, the Allied forces chose to conceal the truth regarding these bombings and the friendly fire incidents that claimed American lives. This decision was made in order to preserve the morale of the soldiers in the days leading up to the Normandy landings. Consequently, it took many years for the public to finally receive information about the events that unfolded on April 28, 1944 at Slapton Beach.